Should I Repair or Replace My Broken Fridge?

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Sharon Franke, director of the Kitchen Appliances and Technology Department of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute

My refrigerator is on the fritz. How do I know whether I should repair it or replace it?

When food isn't quite cold enough straight from the refrigerator (temps inside should be below 40°F), you've got a problem. In general, we recommend replacing any appliance if the repair cost is more than half the price of a new one. With refrigerators in particular, consider a replacement if yours is 15 years old. You may be paying $150 a year to run an old unit (especially if it predates 1997, when refrigerators with the Energy Star label became available); a new one could cut that bill to $50.